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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29201802">Imperio - A Love Story</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pet_genius/pseuds/pet_genius'>pet_genius</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crack, F/M, Fluff and Crack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:41:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,023</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29201802</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pet_genius/pseuds/pet_genius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if characters aren't all they seem? Mulciber and Mary's might-as-well-be-canon story &lt;3</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Mary Macdonald/Mulciber Jr.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Imperio - A Love Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Snaters+everywhere">Snaters everywhere</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/dementedlollipop/gifts">dementedlollipop</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired by a friendly debate with a Snape hater who insisted that we need a frame-by-frame account of the fictional characters' lives to tell whether they were just bullies or if they occasionally used their power for good and stood up for the little guy. Naturally, I played the part of the rabid Snape fan, and argued that HP is not a documentary and that if all we see of a character is "bully", extrapolating that it's indeed at least most of they are isn't "passing headcanon off as fact".</p><p>In true Snater fashion, the response was: "well in that case Snape raped Muggles left and right off page."</p><p>I give you the result &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Are you sure there's no other way?" Edmund asks miserably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you willing to risk it? Because I'm not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're right, Mary, I know you're right, it's just…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is war, Ed. I'm not going down just because you're too good to cast an Imperius. And neither are you. Not if I can help it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hardened features give way to a soft smile. "You know I love you, right? You can have me any time with or without Imperio. But you have to look like you tried."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Remind me again, how come you're not a Slytherin?" He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stupid hat wouldn't put me there. Imagine sharing a dorm with those boring, self-important -” she cuts herself off and exhales. “I suppose it’s better than being a Hufflepuff and never getting up to anything. Or a Ravenclaw. Not interested in becoming a reporter for the Prophet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mary is everything to him, and he has no intention of losing her. The next day, he follows through on their plan, pretends to Imperius her into flashing her knickers, and she pretends to do it, until Wilkes, the Slytherin Prefect, interferes, shoots dirty looks at both of them, and breaks the "curse".</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wilkes shoves Mary out of the dorm and she pretends to cry all night. Back at her own dorm where she belongs, she tells Lily and the others  everything, having cast a crying spell on herself, thus making sure rumour will spread like wildfire. Ed's status will rise among the aspiring Death Eaters, and it will be believable when he makes her his special mudblood companion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That night, she sneaks out and meets Ed at the usual spot. "Everyone is going to think I'm a creep," he complains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not I, and I'm the only one who counts," she laughs. "Now where were we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She yawns through breakfast and through the first lesson, but an interesting story perks her up. James Potter is telling everyone how he saved Snape's life. For the first time, Lily is listening to him with rapt attention, and Mary is sure that she's not concerned with Snape. When James tells the story for the second time, Lily finally turns herself away. "What about you, Mary? How are you feeling?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mary remembers she has to look traumatized and violated - even as the memory of Ed removing her famous knickers and tossing them aside still makes her tingle. "I'll be fine", she says. "We're the brave ones, aren't we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lily smiles at her. "Isn't Sniv your friend?" She’s curious to know more, because lately Ed’s been mentioning him, in not completely unfavorable contexts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't remind me. He's been such a -"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anything to get her off my back, Mary thinks, and cuts her mid-sentence. "You said he's been complaining about these two clowns for weeks. But you're the one who is always going on about his father and now that he nearly died you don't even care?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lily looks affronted. "I'm not gonna argue with you because I know you're having a hard time. Let me know if you really want to talk about it".</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whole thing smells funny, and at the first chance, Mary corners Ed. "Have you heard? Thank God Sniv is so stupid, no one is going to remember what a creep you are. What's he saying, anyway?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Absolutely nothing. That's the strange part."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugs. Revision for their OWLs start a couple of days later, and sure enough, nobody remembers anything for too long at this school.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you're smart, you'll go with James," Mary tells Lily, who blushes furiously. Redheads don't make good liars, but Lily still pretends to be disgusted. "He's crazy about you, he's rich, he can protect you. You're not even friends with Snape any more."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's the best way to get Lily to change the subject and pretend she needs to study. Her stupid principles are going to get her killed anyway, and she's not even living up to them. If Lily had known the truth about her and Ed she would have raised her nose on them, and yet she is clearly salivating for James.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A year later, she wins the bet with Ed as Lily and James finally start dating. "Maybe now she'll get less irritating," she quips. God knows it helps her mood when she meets with Ed at the room in the 7th floor corridor that only seems to appear for them…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aren't you supposed to be better friends? She's a muggle-born too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mudblood," she corrects him. As far as she is concerned, Lily and her are not the same, and in due time she will prove it. Lily has a thick Midlands accent, Lily is all about pretending to be better than she is, Lily mocks her so called friend's pants when Mary has shared a dorm with her and knows exactly the state of Lily's own pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Once you're in the inner circle with the Dark Lord you'll see exactly how much I care about that. It's not that unusual, you know. Even Muggles know the difference between the upper class and the people of poor birth, Edmund. What would my mother say if I politically aligned myself with the likes of her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you, Mary."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They kiss, and mourn the fact that they still can't be together in public. "I'll sell him as many mudbloods as he wants to be with you." How many people is that? Four a year, maybe, of whom at least some would be willing to see sense and accept that they must disavow their muggle heritage for their children's future?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed's reward for his beneficial use of the Imperius curse is Mary. She swears loyalty to him, she swears to raise her children by the Mulcibers' values, that they're never going to meet their Muggle grandparents. Her family understands. She RSVPs "no" to Lily's wedding (this silly girl still thinks they're friends), and cheers herself up: It won't be long and they will be able to get married and live freely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One day, Ed wakes her up in the dead of night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it, love?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed's Dark Mark is gone.<br/>
</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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